CITES membership blocks Zambia
ZAMBIA’S
hands on ivory trade are still tied because of its membership to the international organisation, CITES whose worldwide ban of the commodity is still in effect, says Tourism and Arts Minister Charles Banda.
Dr. Banda said the status quo on the matter had not changed as Zambia was still stuck with ivory worth more than $100 million following the worldwide trade ban of the commodity. He reiterated that in as much as the ivory could help the nation attain sustainable development, nothing much could be done because Zambia was a signatory of CITES. “Ivory can help us earn money but currently there is a worldwide trade ban, so what can we do? We will just have to wait on CITES, and when they decide to lift the ban, then decisions can be made,” Dr Banda said. In an interview yesterday, the minister however said the ivory trade ban, coupled with other measures such as game patrols, were yielding the desired results with regard to the preserving of endangered elephants which were targeted by unscrupulous poachers for their prized tusks. Dr. Banda said the Ministry of Tourism and Arts would have just to wait on CITES to lift the ivory trade ban. He warned against poaching, saying those found wanting with regards to illegal game activities would be met by the full wrath of the law. Dr Banda said elephants among other wildlife were a source of revenue through tourist attraction but risked becoming extinct because of poachers. “The ban as well as measures we have put in place as a ministry is yielding positive results to preserve the endangered species,” he said. Dr. Banda said the reduction of species such as the elephant would result in a reduction in numbers of tourists in Zambia which in turn would affect revenue.
“The ban as well as measures we have put in place as a ministry is yielding positive results to preserve the endangered species”